#them calling it loop line on pokemon day hit me right in the childhood

[viridianjester]

Pokémon ranger games, pokémon ranger games. I replayed all three of them back to back near the end of 2020, and they were so good??? I meant to make a post summarizing my thoughts about them back then but never got around to it, so here we are now.

Pokémon Ranger - the first one, which will be referred to as Ranger 1 from here on out to prevent confusion - was short and sweet. The plot was the simplest of the three, the Go Rock Quads' themes were bops (Billy had his own theme for some reason, hence the plural), and the Go Rock Squad's dialogue occasionally made me chuckle. The environments were nice, and although the capture system is the most difficult to use out of the three in my opinion, I fully admit that I'm biased since I started with Ranger 2 as a kid (I'll compare the capture systems later on, but for now let's stay focused on Ranger 1). Regardless, it was a fun adventure that felt just the right length for what they were aiming for.

Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia - or Ranger 2 - was the one I had the most familiarity with from childhood. It took me the longest to complete (in game time) out of the three, and the plot of it is my favorite by far. The characters are great, the Team Dim Sun grunts had plenty of dialogue that made me chuckle, and the region is large and varied. My favorite part was the at-sea oil rig, it just had such a cool aesthetic and the grunts and story beats??? Very good™. I could ramble on about the game for hours, but I'll cut it here. Honestly, I think Ranger 2 might beat out Pokémon Red and Blue Rescue Team as my new second favorite Pokémon spinoff game.

Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs - Ranger 3 - is the last installation in the series. It took me the longest time irl to complete; it dragged, although that was probably because I was a little Pokémon Rangered Out™ at this point despite how much I enjoyed the first two games. It did have its positives though! The Pincher Admins were cool, and I thoroughly enjoyed it whenever they popped up. The twist at the end was nice too as although I played Ranger 3 as a kid, I had very little memories of it going in (I only played through it once when it first came out). The translation of the comedic bits felt a bit off to me, and they didn't land nearly as well as they did in the previous two games. A part of the game's story was an intended multiplayer campaign that I never ended up completing; it seemed interesting, but the amount of grinding needed to complete it solo wasn't worth it to me. If anyone knows if there's a walkthrough of that part anywhere, please send it to me! I'm definitely interested in finding out what happens (Maybe it'll help inform the main storyline more? I definitely noticed overlap in the parts I did get to). Regardless, it was a pokémon ranger game all the same, and it was still plenty enjoyable. 

Going back to the capture systems, they do change across the games. In Ranger 1, you can't lift up the stylus between loops when catching a pokémon or you have to start all over whereas in Ranger 2, there's a bar that fills up as you loop that decreases if you don't complete a loop for a while. These two systems are significantly different, and it was a difficult transition for mini me back in the olden days (I... never actually beat Ranger 1 as a kid lol). Poké Assists from wild pokémon are also significantly more useful in Ranger 1 than Ranger 2. The Ranger 3 capture system is almost the same as Ranger 2's; the differences were pretty minor, and I honestly can't remember them other than the tweaking of a few Poké Assists. 

I prefer the Ranger 2 capture mechanics as the entire loss of progress between loops was frustrating for me, but someone I know irl played through Rangers 1 and 2 around the same time I did and preferred the Ranger 1 mechanics because the boss pokémon took significantly longer to catch in Ranger 2 due to the large health bars. It's a valid viewpoint, and like many things with the ranger series, I can honestly see why people might prefer any game or system over the others even if I don't agree personally.

Overall, I liked Ranger 2 best, followed by Ranger 1 and then Ranger 3. These games are underrated - super underrated. Thankfully, the Jaiden Animations video brought more attention to the franchise (which is great!), but I would very much like to talk to more people about it sometime. If you made it so far through my ramblings, thank you so much, and have a great day!

#pokemon #pokemon ranger #shadows of almia #guardian signs #video games #loop line #them calling it loop line on pokemon day hit me right in the childhood

[unovasrage]

black2 dialogue analysis / p1

start > castelia sewers

ASPERTIA CITY

Hyu: Hey! You get a pokémon yet? There aren't any pokémon Trainers around here, and I'm getting bored! What's that? ... A person named Bianca is giving you a pokémon? Really?!" Vera: When you get a pokemon take really, really good care of it, okay?

[ Hyu turns and simply stares at his sister. ]

Hyu: ... ... yeah. Alright. Come on. There’s something I have to do. And to do that, I need someone I can trust besides my partner Pokémon. A person I can trust! That's right! I'm talking about you!

Hyu is absolutely 100% blaming himself for seeing that Vera seems to feel she’s at fault for letting Purrloin get captured / that she couldn’t “take care” of her pokemon. B2 breaking Hyu’s heart from the very start like nobody’s business.

Hyu: You’re really lucky to get a pokémon! Once you get a pokémon, you leave on a journey right away. When you do that, I’m gonna have you help me out!

I’ll come back to these mentions of Hyu having protag support him later

Hyu: Let’s see how good a trainer you are! I’ll use my pokémon that I raised from an egg!

Hyu you okay buddy you literally just got that like 13 seconds ago

Hyu, first non-KO hit: I won’t forget the pain you just put my partner through! Hyu, defeated: I couldn’t achieve victory for my partner ... I won’t let myself forget this frustration! Hyu, after defeat: I lost ... this is different than battling with wild pokémon! Well, whatever. I’m just happy to know you’re a trainer I can count on! Cool. I’m heading off first! Get stronger!

Hyu is a pokémon empath evidence no.1 / he literally feels some of what pokémon he’s bonded to experience in battle. I’ll get to this in a different hc dump / dialogue analysis further down the line. He doesn’t realize at this point, though, and his big dumdum energy exists / he thinks it’s completely normal for trainers to be able to feel what their pokémon feel ( physically ) + understand their pokémon’s emotions with pinpoint accuracy

That said, he’s also using this pain to fuel his anger / his anger to fuel his determination and will to destroy Plasma.

ASPERTIA CITY > HYU’S HOUSE

Hyu’s Dad: To be honest, I don’t want my son to go on a journey. I mean, his goal is ... ... but there is no parent who doesn’t wish for their child to grow.

Hyu’s Mom: If Hyu loses his way on the path, or in life really, please help him, won’t you? He’s the kind of person who, well, who lets rage build inside him.

Hyu’s dad appears to be a retired black belt based solely on his attire. I’ll hc this later.

Hyu’s parents are 100% in the loop and in the know of how revenge-driven and angry Hyu is no matter how much he may have thought he was / successfully bottling up his anger aside from immediately flaring at the mere mention of Plasma or the raid on Aspertia. His parents have tried to dissuade him from the goal he set for himself / what he’s sworn he’ll dedicate his life to, yet they’re willing to support him regardless of his steadfast determination because he’s their son.

His father, at least, hopes that maybe if Hyu is allowed to complete this goal he’s set for himself, he’ll finally be able to move on -- he’ll finally be able to “grow”.

Meanwhile his mother knows her son, sees how stuck on revenge he is by the negative emotions (exclusively) he associates with Plasma, and how much of himself he’s putting into his promise to Vera. She can see how much getting revenge has completely and utterly consumed him to the point she worries he won’t have a path in life after he accomplishes his goal.

Lo and behold it is already canon on this blog that he was, and still is, lost now that he has no driving force for a goal in his life. So, Hyu’s mom, you weren’t wrong.

What his mother’s dialogue also shows is how well protag knows Hyu’s parents know protag / how much they know protag is a friend to her son because she’s basically entrusting her son to a neighborhood kid since she’s not going on the pokemon journey. It also indicates that if there’s one person that would be able to help Hyu on the path of life, and get to him through his anger / guilt / grief, it’s protag. 

FLOCCESY RANCH

Ranch Owner: Eh Herdier doesn’t normally wander off like this ... I’m sure he’ll come back soon. I’m just a little worried. Hyu: You’re “a little worried”? Are you KIDDING me?! Your pokémon might be lost forever! Whatever! I’ll look!

[ Hyu stomps off to look for the Herdier. ]

Ranch Owner: Jeez...

Alright Hyu is hot from the start, and immediately starts seething from the get-go because the owner is merely shrugging off the situation, which he’s acknowledged is odd. Although in a calmer frame of mind Hyu can acknowledge the trust in his pokemon / confidence he has Herdier will return, the switch in Hyu’s brain thinking about Plasma has already been flipped and that sort of acknowledgement isn’t going to happen. Hyu speaks snappily at the owner ( a grown ass adult, making Hyu himself seem like an ill-mannered, poor-tempered kid who’s angry for no reason ) because he has no reservations about full on yelling at an adult even though he’s just a teenager, and this illustrates that.

Hyu, searching for Herdier: Still, pokémon don’t just wander off on their own. In a worst-case scenario, it might be involved in some trouble!

Angry as he is at the dope of the Ranch Owner, you bet your everything Hyu is stressing internally and vowing he’ll literally exhaust himself to find this Herdier so that another person doesn’t have to suffer the same pain Vera did.

( Herdier returned, Ranch Owner basically just says “Thanks” )

Hyu: You’re awfully calm about this! Your pokémon might have been gone for good! Take better care of it!

[ Hyu stomps off, having quite literally triggered by the entire situation, and practically shaking with simultaneous anger and relief. ]

Ranch Owner: Hmm ... I wonder if something happened to him?

You can bet your ass Hyu was actually cussing @ the Ranch Owner, though this is a children’s game so ofc no swearing was written out.

Unfortunately through the course of getting his anger verbalized at the Owner, protag had to stand there awkwardly like when you go over to a friend’s house as a kid and they get in trouble with their parent and get disciplined right in front of you / would also have a pit in their stomach because they know.

Also who the fuck just asks “I wonder if something happened to him?” publicly / out loud / loud enough for someone obviously a friend to hear? That’s the equivalent of asking someone to their face “what is wrong with you?” Super rude and ouch how dare you but also I hate to admit the Ranch Owner wasn’t on to something.

ROUTE 20

Nothing of import.

VIRBANK CITY

Hyu: Shut it! You guys are the worst! You talk about saving pokémon, but you're just pokémon thieves! Don't think I'll ever forgive you! I'll crush you and your new plans! I can never forgive Team Plasma! Hyu, after defeating Plasma: Tsk! What a bunch of creeps! Hyu, getting ready for Castelia: I’m going to look for Team Plasma! I can’t forgive those guys!

Hyu undoubtedly calls Grunts every insult under the sun that he can possibly think of and string into words. He knows mere grunts aren’t the ones he needs to exhaust his anger / energy on, but he makes sure they feel his hatred nonetheless in any way he can manage. He can at least discriminate, however slightly, between Grunts and the people truly responsible for he / his family’s grief.

CASTELIA CITY

Hyu: That's a strange ship. A sailing ship in this day and age?

Hyu baby your dumdum energy is showing. Though I suppose even noticing that is being more observant / demonstrating greater intelligence than many people give you credit for.

Hyu: Did you find Team Plasma?! (If No): Augh! Those dirty pokémon theives! (If Yes): Uh ... thanks ... but you don’t need to lie to me just so I won’t be disappointed!

Hyu is fairly quick to pick up on lies / shorts of truth, even if they’re said with a straight face. This doesn’t mean he’s a human lie detector but he’s usually pretty good at it.

CASTELIA SEWERS

Hyu: I need you to get tougher! Even I'm going to have trouble taking them on all by myself ... Anyway, it's okay! I'll take care of healing our pokémon! I'm counting on you! Are you ready to go?

( if talked to ... )

Hyu, 1x: I’m sorry I got you mixed up in this, but I can’t forgive Team Plasma!

Immediately blaming himself for yet another person even having to experience Plasma.

Hyu, 2x: So this is the sewer ... well, it’s not as stinky as I expected. Hyu, 3x: Still ... pokémon live everywhere, don’t they? Hyu, 4x: If you don’t get strong, you can’t protect the things that are important to you!

This is a first allusion to how Hyu views himself as weak / not strong enough ( aside from the statement admitting even he might have trouble alone ) to protect what’s important to him, spurred first by being unable to protect Vera, her Purrloin, and by extension his grandfather.

Hyu, 5x+: Don’t worry about me! Let’s hurry and find Team Plasma!

[ Hyu approaches Plasma ]

Hyu: Hey! Team Plasma! You villains! ( ... ) Liberate? Ha! You’re just ordinary pokémon thieves! And what’s more, you use those stolen pokémon like they’re tools! Let’s do this!

Hyu is so set on defeating Plasma alone. He repeatedly tells the protag, “I need to be strong(er)”, “I need you to be strong so you can support me”, “I need you to be strong so you can have my back”, “Back me up, (name)!”. He perceives defeating plasma as a “me” task rather than an “us” in perspective of he and his childhood friend on an adventure. Even though he’s relying on protag for support, he’s not putting their responsibilities re: Plasma on the same ground as his own perceived responsibility.

Also when you enter Castelia’s sewers you’ll notice Hyu is waiting inside. You can bet your ass that he charged inside alone / didn’t think twice about waiting for protag but when he got in there he realized he couldn’t see shit, so he waited. This is why he said the “Even I might have trouble” bit earlier... he left it vague and open-ended intentionally. Throughout their time in the sewers, Hyu kept very close to protag.

#[ black 2 dialogue analysis ] #[hyucanon] #long post /